By Becky Holland
I was scrolling Facebook the other day when I came across a discussion about artificial intelligence.
One person argued that if we oppose AI data centers coming to our area, then we should also stop using AI-generated advertisements and graphics.
Others pushed back, saying AI is here to stay and that people should be free to use the technology if they choose.
As I read through the comments, I found myself nodding at points made by both sides.
That doesn’t happen very often.
The truth is, I use AI.
There. I said it.
I have used it to create graphics when I don’t have the time or resources to hire a professional designer. I use it through CHAT GPT and Canva. And yes, I have created cartoon caricatures and put those on some t-shirts.
But here’s what struck me as I read the discussion.
The question isn’t really AI.
The question is people.
Every day I spend time doing things no computer can do.
I sit with my 91-year-old mother and listen to stories she has told me a hundred times before. I watch her smile when she recognizes a familiar face. I hold her hand when words become harder to find.
I interview teenagers about their dreams of playing baseball in college.
I walk through festivals, ball fields, church fellowships and community events taking photos and talking to people.
I listen to business owners tell me about the risks they took to open their doors.
I hear families share memories of loved ones who have passed away.
AI can’t do any of that.
It can’t sit in a nursing home room and understand why a simple hug from your mother can bring tears to your eyes.
It can’t stand beside a veteran as he remembers a fallen friend.
It can’t understand the pride in a young athlete’s voice when he talks about his team.
It can’t build relationships.
It can’t be part of a community.
Technology changes. It always has.
People once worried calculators would ruin math. That spellcheck would ruin writing. That Google would ruin research. Every generation has had its concerns about the latest invention.
Some concerns proved valid. Others didn’t.
But through all of those changes, one thing remained the same.
The value was never in the tool.
The value was in the person using it.
A hammer can build a house or break a window.
A camera can preserve history or spread misinformation.
A newspaper can inform a community or divide it.
The tool matters far less than the hands holding it.
What makes Bleckley County special has never been technology.
It’s the people.
It’s the CNA helping someone’s mother eat supper.
It’s the volunteer coach staying late after practice.
It’s the church members cooking meals for a grieving family.
It’s the florist whose work reaches Arlington National Cemetery.
It’s the retired teacher reading to children at the library.
It’s the neighbor who checks on you when times get hard.
No computer, no app and no artificial intelligence can replace those things.
The debate over AI will continue. People will have strong opinions, and that’s okay. Those conversations are worth having.
But as for me, I think we’re asking the wrong question.
The question isn’t whether AI will change the world.
The question is whether we’ll continue to be the kind of people who care about each other while it does.
And if Bleckley County’s history is any indication, I’m betting on the people.
Just my two cents.
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